Innholdsfortegnelse for 28-Nov-2019 i Horse & Hound

FORGIVE the cynicism, but I am finding it remarkably refreshing to be heading towards an Olympic year, indeed any major championship year, and learning that the venue is ready for its participants. By all accounts, Tokyo could run the Olympics tomorrow. It will not be without its challenges, it gets warm being an understatement, but the organisers are instilling confidence. The great challenge is getting the equestrian community behind the new format, as per the FEI’s plea (news, p4). I understand that the International Olympic Committee insisted on change and so change was made to save other, even more displeasing, change being thrust upon them. However, the much maligned new eventing format has the potential to cause devastation to teams that ought to be on podiums. And given that is…

THE FEI is looking at dope testing outside competitions, and testing from hair and saliva samples, it has been announced. Veterinary director Göran Akerström updated national federations at the general assembly on the FEI’s clean sport work. He spoke of “lots of discussion” over contamination and stable security, adding that there is a “huge need” for education of all stakeholders, and urging delegates to have national testing programmes and head vets in place. “We’ll introduce an electronic system giving us information on horses,” he added, “to enable us to start looking at out-of-competition testing, as it’s very important to ensure horses aren’t being trained on painkillers, for example. “We’re looking into hair testing, opening up the possibility of detecting anabolic steroids for a longer time. “And to deter micro-dosing of…

Showing producer Rory Gilsenan received the Roger Stack Award at Hickstead’s showtime ball in recognition for his wins at HOYS and the Royal International Horse Show. German eventer Ingrid Klimke won the FEI best athlete award. She is the second person to win back-to-back individual European Championship titles, the second this year with SAP Hale Bob OLD. Magnolia Cup winner Khadijah Mellah, 18, has won the Sunday Times Young Sportswoman of the Year award. Khadijah was the first ever hijab-wearing jockey to take part in a race under Rules. Journalist Brough Scott received the Sir Peter O’Sullevan award in honour of his “decades of work” in racing. Brough, the 24th winner of the award, said he was “very overwhelmed”. Jockey Hollie Doyle became the third female jockey in Britain to…

MORNINGS At the other end of the beverage spectrum, one has to applaud Merseyside police horse Jake, who can’t get up in the morning without his cuppa, served to him as he relaxes pyjama-clad in bed. We’re with him, no tea, no work. TRAVEL Spotted, an ad for a beautiful lorry boasting living that sleeps four, a fridge, heating, wardrobe and seating, as well as a horse area stalled for two. There aren’t many of these about, the seller stated. Good job really, as it’s a 3.5-tonne box with a payload of about 500kg… BREEDING Spotted at the races, among the bookies’ stands, a booth bearing the legend “Billy Bongo”. Are the Funnells branching out? Betting rather than breeding? I think we should be told...…

THE horse’s hind-end is often said to be his engine, providing the energy and impulsion that is required for forward movement. Both the fore and hindlimbs share the role of moving the horse across the ground, through a combination of synchronised muscle contractions causing joint flexion and extension. The forelimbs carry the majority of his weight and have an essential role in weight bearing and shock absorption, particularly in jumping. The hind-end, however, provides the bulk of the power to push the horse’s entire body forward. There is a much greater muscle mass in the hindlimbs in order to achieve this, with these muscles working to support and move the skeleton. In addition, the tendons within the limbs are able to store energy and reuse it to push the horse…

SOME of the world’s leading equestrians will ride through the famous curtains at the Grand Hall, Olympia, next month (16-22 December) for one of the most popular shows on the circuit. But which names should you be looking out for? Who deserves the biggest cheer and who is likely to head home with the silverware? We’ve sifted through the start-lists to bring you the lowdown on some of this year’s key contenders — and with some new names, a couple of Olympia debutants and world number ones arriving in London next month, there’s plenty to be excited about. EDWINA TOPS-ALEXANDER SHOWJUMPER (AUS) BOOKIES’ FAVOURITE AGE: 45 WORLD RANKING: 76 PREVIOUS OLYMPIA APPEARANCES: one of the most consistent performers in the feature classes since winning the World Cup qualifier in 2008…

OF all the variations of polo that have developed over the years, snow polo is, arguably, the most fascinating. The game has been played on snow for more than 30 years, since Swiss hotelier Reto Gaudenzi came up with an idea many at the time considered improbable — to launch a high-goal polo tournament on the frozen lake in St Moritz, in the stunning Swiss Alps. But the St Moritz Snow Polo World Cup has since grown into the most high-profile snow polo tournament in the world, attracting top players and huge sponsors, including Cartier and Maserati, and inspiring a new discipline within the sport of polo. “St Moritz is the Palermo of snow polo,” says Jan-Erik Franck, a polo player, coach and regular snow polo commentator, likening St Moritz…

FOUGANZA STABLE BALL Keep your horse busy while he’s in his stable this Christmas. £3.99 decathlon.co.uk EQUITO SADDLE PAD Go classy with this glossy-finish saddle pad with double-braid binding. £58 equito.se VEREDUS MAGNETIK RUG Features 32 embedded high-power magnets to help stimulate bloodflow. £407 zebraproducts.co.uk WEATHERBEETA THERAPY-TEC DOG BED Features a ceramic lining that retains body heat. From £59.99 weatherbeeta.com MAGICBRUSH LIMITED EDITION GREAT BRITAIN A super-useful brush in a new set of colours. £13.50 for a set of three magicbrush.com CAVALOR FRUITIES Forest fruit flavoured healthy snacks for your horse. £4.80 for 750g cavalor.com COLLARED CREATURES CAVE BED Perfect for dogs who love to snuggle. From £55 collaredcreatures.com MINKEYS TWEED DOG COATS Luxury handmade tweed coats with the finest finish and a soft fleece lining. From £42.50 minkeystweed.com BOSSY’S…

SAMBERWILL EQUESTRIAN GO CHARLIE MUG Perfect for a yard break. £8 samberwill equestrian.co.uk NOBLE EQUESTRIAN WINE DOWN HOOF PICK With a built-in corkscrew. £17.95 nobleequestrian.co.uk SOXTROT UK SOCKS Thin yet warm, super-comfy, breathable and look great, too. From £9.50 for one pair soxtrotuk.com BLUE HEDGEHOG POSTCARDS Watercolour postcards; commissions on request. 20% to equine charity. £7 for a pack of 10 bluehedgehogart.com EQUETECH CRYSTAL PLAITING BANDS The perfect extra touch for a sparkling finish. £6.95 for a pack of five equetech.com BIODERMA ATODERM LIP STICK Repairs and protects lips damaged by the outdoors. £5.50 bioderma-uk.com BACK ON TRACK HEADBAND WITH MESH Ideal for wearing under a helmet on colder days. £16 backontrack.com BRIDLEWAY BERTIE HAT COVER With a detachable faux fur pom pom. From £9.99 bridlewayequestrian.com HJ HALL CHRISTMAS TREE…

Derby Notts and Staffs Beagles, Lower Swansmoor Farm, Staffs THE Derbyshire Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire Beagles (DNSB) annual supper at Hanbury village hall in early November was a well-supported and convivial evening, with a pop-up bar and delicious fare supplied, in true hunting spirit, by volunteers. The room was packed with supporters of all ages and included a table from the recently formed Moorland Hunt, whose 84-year-old founding master, Gerald de Ville, has been at the helm of the beagles ever since the master of the Derbyshire Beagles knocked on his farmhouse door and offered him the pack on August bank holiday Monday back in 1981. “It was either that or disbandment, so I took them on,” Gerald said. “They’ve been kennelled at my farm ever since and I’ve never regretted…

Stuttgart CDI-W, Germany GERMANY’S Jessica von Bredow-Werndl caused an upset at the World Cup qualifier in Stuttgart, pipping her compatriot and reigning series champion Isabell Werth to freestyle victory. This was Jessica’s first show with the 12-year-old Trakehner mare TSF Dalera BB since the pair won freestyle bronze at the European Championships in Rotterdam in August. This elegant combination once again delighted with their charming routine, set to music from La La Land, to earn 88.44%. Their relaxed piaffe and passage and fluid transitions were highlights, earning scores of 9.5 and 10 from the judges, who all had her to win bar Alice Schwab, the Austrian judge at M. “She gave me a feeling I’ve never had before,” Jessica said of her mare, who has won team gold for Germany…

IN a dazzling BD debut for both pony and rider, India Latter-Sears and four-year-old Glebedale Desert Storm dominated the prelims at Little Mill Equestrian, Carmarthenshire. More accustomed to competing in the show ring, India admitted that she was well out of her comfort zone. “It was really enjoyable, but I felt a bit under pressure,” she said, after achieving two scores in excess of 72% for the double win. “However, ‘Des’ was fantastic, so willing and trusting of me.” India backed the four-year-old, 13.2hh Welsh section C gelding earlier this year for the Glebedale Stud. “We took him to the unaffiliated dressage championships at the David Broome Event Centre last month, where he won a gold medal,” added India, who works full time in quality assurance. “I just can’t believe…

‘CHIPPING AWAY’ AT SUCCESS SUE CARSON put recent success with her mare Gucci SCS & DHI down to teamwork. “She has not been an easy horse but we’ve turned a corner,” said Sue of the eight-year-old, whose numerous health troubles have included hoof, neck and breathing problems. “All horses have issues. It’s a team effort, including farriers, vets and saddlers, to get them down the centre line to win.” Both Gucci and Sue’s Chippendale gelding SCS Germisco have been on form, returning four plus-70% medium scores at Vale View EC, Leics. “Hopefully, we’ll have two small tour horses for next year,” she added. “It takes time, but we’ve been chipping away.”…

THE format of the Global Champions League (GCL) team final, with three riders in a team and all scores counting, proved pretty cut-throat. My team, the Doha Falcons, paid the price with elimination when I had a fall in Thursday’s quarter finals, but other teams experienced similar changes in fortunes during the tournament. Miami Celtics were leading after round one, but in the semi-finals one of their riders had three down and, even though two of their riders jumped clear, they lost their chances and it’s a real shame to see that happen. It means you just can’t afford to jump a bad round. The format does work well in an indoor competition like this and it certainly makes it exciting for the crowd, who can easily follow what’s going…

Ascot Racecourse, Berks NATIONAL HUNT racing witnessed a changing of the guard last Saturday, 23 November, when Altior’s 19-race unbeaten run was brought to a halt by Cyrname in the Christy 1965 Chase at Ascot, during an epic weekend of racing. Last season, when the Paul Nicholls-trained Cyrname beat Waiting Patiently by 17 lengths, two races after being stuffed in a two-mile handicap chase, he was given an official rating of 176, a pound higher than Altior. That seemed to affront a few Altior fans but the handicapper appears to have been spot on in his assessment. However, Henderson’s superb two-miler, hitherto unbeaten over obstacles, was the only one the punters wanted to back on the day, as he stepped up in trip from two miles to 2m5f — a…

THE excitement of the Tokyo Olympics will “resonate across the country” to the benefit of equestrian sports, it is hoped, as preparations for next summer’s Games continue. Alec Lochore and Haruta Yasuhiko, of the Games’ organising committee, updated national federations on progress at the FEI general assembly in Moscow (16 to 19 November). Mr Lochore said the test event held in August had allowed the team to gather data, on issues such as mitigating the heat, travel and the way volunteers and officials will have to work. “We needed to build a team that’s extremely committed to delivering a great Games,” he said. Mr Lochore said more than 200,000 applications were made for 80,000 volunteer positions at the Games, which will be very popular, if the recent Rugby World Cup…

EXPLOSION W Ben Maher’s medal-winning horse has been sold, but Ben keeps the ride. Poden Farms sold the 10-year-old, who took individual silver with Ben at this year’s Europeans, to Pamela Wright and Charlotte Rossetter. MR PRESIDENT Steph Croxford’s much loved grand prix dressage star has been put down aged 25. The charismatic gelding’s CV included multiple international wins and top placings across Europe and at Hickstead and Olympia. CALIFORNIA CHROME The two-time US Horse of the Year and Kentucky Derby winner has been sold to JS Company LTD of Japan to continue his breeding career. He won seven Group One races, with earnings of more than $14.7m (£11.5m).…

THREE venues will hold CCI* classes — the FEI’s new 1.05m international level — in 2020. These will be Chilham, Brand Hall and Blair Castle. “Those events have been selected to run test events to see the uptake and how they roll out,” said chief sport officer Paul Graham. “We will look to roll these out further if [the pilot is] successful.” Mr Graham said the regional team competition, piloted in 2019, will run next season at BE80(T) as well as at BE90 with the final remaining at Weston Park. BE is looking at restarting its end-of-season ball from next year, while performance metrics will be available for every member. A volunteer working group is also in the process of being initiated. The championship finals for BE80(T) were cancelled twice…

THE challenges the equestrian industry could face if the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 31 January were highlighted. British Equine Veterinary Association CEO David Mountford gave an update on preparing for Brexit, and praised the Defra team for its work. The UK was granted listed status ahead of the planned exits in April and October, meaning UK horses would be able to move to the EU, under certain conditions. Confirmation is needed as to whether this will apply now the exit date has been pushed back again. Mr Mountford said the “most troubling” outcome is if Britain leaves without a deal and the EU has not accepted UK breed societies as recognised studbooks. This could result in more paperwork including equine ID documents, border inspection posts that…

SHEIKH SULTAN BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN THE leading figure in the fight to improve equine welfare in desert endurance died on 18 November. Born in 1955, he was the second son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Nahyan, founder of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and brother to UAE president Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Educated at Millfield School in Somerset, Sheikh Sultan graduated from the Sandhurst military academy and was commander-in-chief of the UAE armed forces from 1978 to 1982. He was deputy UAE prime minister from 1990 to 2008, and also the president’s representative, a position he held until his death. He was respected in the equine community, speaking at the 2016 World Horse Welfare conference about the Boudheib initiatives. This covered measures introduced at his Boudheib Equestrian…

FURTHER to Pammy Hutton’s opinion (14 November), I wholeheartedly agree with her comments about training for a career with horses. I trained for my British Horse Society exams in 1991 with Sue Payne at Suzanne’s Riding School in Middlesex and have extremely fond memories of that time, as I’m sure many of the other students did too. I moved on to work in different yards throughout my career, desperate to learn as much as possible, and don’t think I ever jumped ship assuming somewhere else would be better. For me, it was about gaining different experiences from different yards. Now, however, with a small riding school with 11 ponies, I find myself being quite hurt when the children (or parents) leave with no explanation, but I hear from others that…

MANDY FROST DEVON-BASED Mandy is a UKCC level four coach for British Showjumping (BS). She has been the lead coach for the BS Devon junior academy and part of the British Equestrian Federation Excel Talent coaching programme. TRAINING THE STARS EVEN the most experienced riders can meet new challenges. I’ve recently been working with international event rider Helen West and her horse MBF Swagger, who has proven to be talented but opinionated. The aim was to improve rider-horse communication both before and after the fence, to improve control. With time, patience and a consistent approach to establishing a good relationship, Swagger is now jumping double clears in Foxhunter/1.20m classes and her future is looking very promising.…

MONDAY, 16 DECEMBER • Dressage masterclass • FEI dressage World Cup grand prix TUESDAY, 17 DECEMBER • Services jumping championship • FEI dressage World Cup freestyle WEDNESDAY, 18 DECEMBER • International showjumping classes • Pony Club mini-major • Puissance THURSDAY, 19 DECEMBER • Showing championships • Extreme driving • International showjumping classes • Six-bar jumping FRIDAY, 20 DECEMBER • Under-25 British jumping championship first round • FEI driving World Cup • International showjumping classes • Jockeys jumping in aid of the Injured Jockey Fund SATURDAY, 21 DECEMBER • FEI jumping World Cup • FEI driving World Cup • International showjumping classes • Pony showjumping SUNDAY, 22 DECEMBER • British Show Pony Society mountain and moorland championship • Mini stakes jumping • International showjumping classes • Olympia grand prix showjumping The…

SPORTING HARES VANQUISH TECH LEGGINGS High-waisted and fleece-lined with a silicone seat and deep phone pockets. £39.99 sportinghares.com FLECK EVENT BAT This cushioned 60cm jumping bat complies with the new British Showjumping rules for January 2020. £48 zebraproducts.co.uk LE CHAMEAU BLOCKLEY FLEECE Made from finely knitted Italian wool bonded to a technical fleece with internal hem adjusters. £245 lechameau.com MY LEMIEUX WINTER LONG COAT Beat the chill of any showground in this stylish winter coat with a detachable faux fur hood. £149.95 lemieuxproducts.com HUFF EQUESTRIAN MERINO WOOL HEADBAND Perfect for keeping ears toasty-warm on a frosty winter’s morning. £20 huffequestrian.co.uk BARKER & SLOANE 12 BORE BOOST MIST A five-in-one face mist that revitalises the skin after a day out in the elements. £35 for 50ml barkerandsloane.co.uk PEGASUS JEWELLERY SLOGAN BANGLE…

THE DONKEY SANCTUARY TOP TRUMPS Classic card game given a donkey makeover. £8.95 thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk STEIFF STARLY RIDING UNICORN The cutest gift for any budding jockey. 70cm. £499 steiff.com ELLIE EQUINE STOCKING Handmade tweed and velvet horse leg stocking. £15 etsy.com/uk/shop/ ellieequinedesigns THE PONY CLUB HOODIE The essential gift for any enthusiastic Pony Club member. From £18 harryhall.com SXC BESPOKE CROSS-COUNTRY COLOURS Customise your own baselayer and hat silk. From £34.99 superxcountry.co.uk WALDHAUSEN GROOMING KIT BACKPACK Contains brushes, combs and a sponge. £12.95 waldhausen.com THELWELL ORIGINAL DUVET COVER SET An ideal addition to a pony-mad child’s room. From £19.99 noveltex.co.uk GOLLY GALOSHES Keep ponies’ boots clean and dry and are a bit of fun, too. From £26.99 for a pair gollygaloshes.com JUST CHAPS DINKY HALF CHAPS Toddler-sized half chaps that don’t…

DUEL By Paul Mathieu; £20 SEX, money and horses — all the ingredients for a first-class scandal. One rich young man elopes with another rich young man’s prospective bride, and the latter seeks revenge through the medium of racehorse ownership. Vast sums of money are spent by the Marquis of Hastings and Henry Chaplin in pursuit of a Derby winner — and it culminates in a duel and a bet worth millions. There’s plenty in it for hunting fans as well — while the Marquis was briefly a master of the Quorn, Chaplin — whose hunting career featured in H&H on 31 October — was one of the best and most popular MFHs of the era. CA DREAM HORSE By Janet Vokes; £16.99 JANET VOKES tells the remarkable story of…

Joint-masters: Gerald de Ville (since 1981), Peter Archer and Ann Bennett Huntsman: Richard Archer Amateur whippers-in (green coats): Peter Deaville, Mark Parsons, Rupert Browning and Lydia Heath Chairman: Susan Parsons Hunt secretary: Eric Fletcher 01332 673836 Hounds: 31 couple of hunting beagles Hunting days: Wednesdays and Saturday Country: hounds hunt three different landscapes. Predominantly arable in the vale of Belvoir, rolling farmland around Ashbourne, which is also the heart of Meynell and South Staffordshire Foxhounds country, and lighter soil with orchards and fruit farms west of the M6.…

H&H’s hunting editor Catherine Austen has fond memories of hunting the well-known Connemara stallion Laurel as a child. “His owner Sue Labouchere moved to Brecon, where we lived, when I was 10 or 11, and Laurel — who had hunted with the big Gloucestershire packs — was quite old, in his late teens, then. She kindly let me hunt him several times. “I wasn’t very old and he was this imposing, gloriously handsome chap who had been a very successful stallion. I was very aware of how special he was, but he was an angel — beautifully behaved and lovely to ride, and we had a wonderful time. I felt very privileged.”…

CDI-W: GP (HC Matthiesen, M Peutz-Vegter, C Umbach, E Eisenhardt, A Schwab).— 1, Weihegold OLD (I Werth) GER 81.57; 2, TSF Dalera BB (J von Bredow-Werndl) GER 79.85; 3, DSP Sammy Davis Jr (D Schneider) GER 77.76; 7, Dark Legend (C Fry) GBR 71.44; 14, Into The Blue (L Bell) GBR 68.28. GP kür (D Plewa, HC Matthiesen, H Lehrmann, A Schwab, C Umbach).— 1, TSF Dalera BB 88.44; 2, Weihegold OLD 87.24; 3, Damsey FRH (H Langehanenberg) GER 83.74; 8, Dark Legend 78.74; 13, Into The Blue 74.99. CDI4*: GP (HC Matthiesen, M Peutz-Vegter, C Umbach, E Eisenhardt, D Plewa).— 1, Gut Wettlkam’s Stand By Me OLD (L Müller) GER 75.91; 2, Franziskus (I Klimke) GER 75.41; 3, Escolar (H Schmidt) GER 74.96; 6, Everdale (C Fry) GBR 73.65.…

16-17 Nov: med FSM gold (J Holderness-Roddam).— 1, Scarlett III (E Klatzko) 68.66. silv.— 1, Gerento (E Willett) 70.5; 2, Breitling Jack (H Jeavons) 68.33; 3, Armada Danubio (L Laughton) 67.83. adv med 98 gold.— 1, Stoiber’s Black Pearl (S Cheetham) 65. silv.— 1, Woodcroft Don Diego (J Denham) 68.94; 2, Florance V (N Knightly) 68.28; 3, Wellbeloved (N Rollings) 61.18. adv med FSM gold (J Harris).— 1, Barcelona (T Whitaker) 76.33; 2, Stoiber’s Black Pearl 69.66. silv.— 1, Let’s Twist (K Applin) 73.66; 2, Diva RW (R Lee-Woolf) 73.33; 3, Wellbeloved 68.66. adv 105 gold.— 1, Royalty II (E Atkinson) 61.38. PYO gold.— 1, Erlentanz (S Murray-Brown) GP 74.4; 2, Sheepcote Corelator (S Pincus) GP 70.8; 3, Asbo (H Cumming) GP 65.2. silv.— 1, Serious Black (J Kent) PSG…

14 Nov: prelim 15 gold (M Galland).— 1, Burlesque II (A Walker) 68.4. silv.— 1, Bollinger V (F Corbelli) 55.6. brnz.— 1, Mirv (K Johnson) 64.4; 2, Anaka (E Cooper) 61.8. prelim 19 silv.— 1, Westpoint Raselle (F Schofield) 58.75; 2, Bollinger V 57.71. silv.— 1, Rock Star Rocco (P Layton) 62.71; 2, Mirv 62.5; 3, Anaka 59.17. nov 23 silv.— 1, NPS Jack (R Lee-Woolf) 65. silv.— 1, Burlesque II 70.63; 2, Sandro’s Fire (L Gallavan) 67.08; 3, Gilinda (M O’Brien Shawcross) 66.88. nov 39 gold.— 1, Woodcroft San Sebastian (L Seal) 68.85; 2, Fenix (L Seal) 68.08; 3, NPS Jack 61.54. silv.— 1, Gilinda 66.35. elem 43 brnz.— 1, Giacomo (C Allen) 53.79. elem 57 gold.— 1, Fenix 70.71; 2eq, Chantilly Herself (A Chick) & Woodcroft San Sebastian…

GC Prague Playoffs, O2 Arena, Czech Republic AFTER a sensational season decorated with grand prix victories, Global Champions titles and a brace of European medals, Ben Maher and Explosion W capped it all by adding the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) €1.25m (£1.07m) super grand prix to a bulging trophy cabinet. Saturday night showcased equestrian sport at its very best — two rounds of top-calibre showjumping featuring a cavalcade of stars, a nail-biting finale with the British rider last to jump, and the first double clear in the history of this class, which earned a standing ovation from a near sell-out crowd. Ben is no stranger to the podium with his “horse of a lifetime” Explosion W, whom he described here as “magic”, but this was clearly a moment of…

Stars Southern Champion of Champions, Addington Manor, Bucks A 22-YEAR-OLD ex-riding school pony proved he’s still got plenty of va-va-voom as he trotted to victory in the in-hand supreme at the inaugural Stars Southern Champion of Champions fixture. With the northern championships rocketing in popularity, southern competitors were given the opportunity to contend their own Stars finals at Addington Manor. Gemma Viles and her veteran campaigner Peter Pan (Harvey) were pulled forward out of a strong field of contenders. “I wasn’t actually going to go back in for the supreme as you never think a 22-year-old riding school pony will have a chance against some of the younger ponies,” said Gemma, who works as a discharge facilitator at her local hospital. Part-bred Welsh cob Harvey, who stands at 14.2hh, was…

I THINK I need Valium to counter the stress of hunting mornings. It all begins at around 6am when I wake up and register a fluttering sensation in the pit of my stomach. Subconsciously the brain has already alerted the body to the day ahead and “kapow!”, I’m wide awake, mind racing, going through everything that needs to be done. It doesn’t matter how much I’ve prepared the day before. Propelled by butterflies, I bounce out of bed and race to the stables, gulping from a mug of tea like a woman possessed. Sometimes, amid the inner turmoil, a little voice in my head pipes up to ask me why I’m in such a state. But the thought is quickly buried as I’m greeted by Jim’s head peering eagerly over…

AWARD SHORTLIST FOR ITV RACING ITV Racing has been nominated in the best sport programme category at the Broadcast Awards. Coverage of the 2019 Cheltenham Festival, especially the “golden hour” in which Bryony Frost rode Frodon to victory, followed by Paisley Park’s Stayers Hurdle win, led to the nomination that ITV racing editor Richard Willoughby described as “wonderful recognition”. “That Thursday at Cheltenham will live long in the memory of all sports fans, not just those who love racing,” he said. The ceremony will take place on 5 February 2020, hosted by Harry Hill. WELLIES RUMOUR EMERGES ONLINE A LEADING insurer has reminded riders to think about the footwear they wear for driving, after a rumour that driving in wellies is illegal circulated online. A tabloid reported that driving in…

RHYD-DDU GLYNDWR The prolific Welsh Section C pony has been put down aged 19. The big-moving gelding won at HOYS twice in 2008 and 2010 with Sophie Famelton (née Dowdeswell) in the saddle. CAROUSEL The sire of Oliver Townend’s 2009 Burghley-winning ride Carousel Quest, who was owned by the Humphreys family, has died aged 28. He produced numerous other high-level eventers and performance horses. MICHAELMAS Greek eventer Heidi Antikatzidis’ championship ride has been put down aged 32 after a happy retirement. He had multiple top-10 finishes at championships and Badminton, retiring after the Athens Olympics.…

PATIENTS To an A&E department, where an eagle-eyed rider spotted the magazines on offer included H&H, British DressageandBritish Horse mag. We’re wondering what that says about our sport with the A&E juxtaposition — but then the Angling Times was also on offer… IRONY To the FEI general assembly, and a presentation on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. A lovely video ran, with captions “Can you hear it?” “That’s the sound of the coming Olympic Games.” Only it wasn’t, as the audio wasn’t working. But great video anyway. A CHEEKY TIPPLE Also on the topic of the facilities in Tokyo, a member of the committee was waxing lyrical about a luxury lounge at the Games venue, from which one can spectate. “You can sit there with your nice cold… water,” he suggested,…

A FOREST filled with trees in honour of loved ones is to be planted in support of the Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF). Henrietta Knight has planted one of the first trees as part of the Woodland Venture initiative at Faringdon Folly. The campaign has been named after the horse her late husband Terry Biddlecombe rode to victory in the 1967 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Once the wood is filled, trees will be planted in other woods across the country. “This is such a lovely initiative,” said Henrietta.“Not only does it provide a lovely Christmas gift, but supports the IJF and the fantastic work it does, plus helps support the environment, too.” Each tree costs £20 and will be planted with either the planter’s own name or that of a loved one…

‘You need to do four hours of research for every hour of commentating’ My earliest memory of Olympia as a child was being dressed as a squirrel in the Christmas finale. More recently, when everyone went down with a stomach bug on the last day, I had to ride on the sleigh as the Christmas fairy. The show was started by my father Raymond Brooks-Ward in 1972 (the International Horse Show began at Olympia in 1907 but finished in 1939) and it was very much a family affair. Dad was the master of the Enfield Chace, and so the Enfield Chace Hunt branch of the Pony Club, of which I was a member with my older twin brothers Simon and James, was always in the pantomime at the end. Everybody…

IF safety is your priority, buy a Volvo. If you want to tow, go for the XC60 (pictured) or XC90. The XC60 is cheaper (from £37,785 as opposed to £53,085) and although it won’t tow as much as the XC90 (up to 2.7 tonnes), go for the bigger engines and you can still tow, says Volvo, up to 2.4 tonnes. It is comfortable, roomy and wonderful to drive. Build quality is excellent, and all-wheel drive comes as standard on most of the XC60 range. I’d avoid the front-wheel drive models if you are likely to be towing a trailer or using poor roads. All models come with hill hold and hill descent assist, daytime running lights, front park assist, automatic emergency braking, tyre pressure monitor, lane assist, whiplash protection systems,…

WHEN Lucy Jackson won the Event Rider Masters at Millstreet, Ireland, this autumn, she looked to be on the same pathway as plenty of other event riders — aiming for Tokyo with a smart young horse. But after Millstreet, the 41-year-old New Zealand rider took the most difficult decision a rider can make: to sell her top horse. She was a 50% shareholder in Superstition II with loyal owners Gillian and Mark Greenlees and their daughter Charlotte, and the reward for giving up her Olympic dream was “a life-changing sum” of money. “It was head versus heart — you know what you want to do and what you’re meant to do, but the two are not the same,” says Lucy, who has a two-year-old daughter, Evie, with her partner of…

FINER EQUINE BOOT BAG Lined with a black faux sheepskin material, providing the ultimate protection. £215 finerequine.co.uk MACKEY SAFETY BOOTS Provide great foot protection yet remain much lighter than steel toe-capped boots. £79.95 mackey.ie JONATHAN ADLER MENAGERIE CERAMIC HORSE A decorative ornament for the art enthusiast. £425 uk.jonathanadler.com SCHÖFFEL OAKHAM FLEECE GILET The perfect extra layer for the ever-changing British weather. £139.95 schoffelcountry.com FARLOWS COLOURED CARTRIDGE CUFFLINKS Fun cufflinks packaged in a genuine blank cartridge. £8.95 for one pair farlows.co.uk TEAM EQUESTRIAN HORSEY HUSBAND VOWS T-SHIRT Sure to make him smile. £14.99 teamequestrianshop.co.uk MARK TODD MEN’S WINTER PERFORMANCE BREECHES Water-resistant with a brushed backing. £89.99 marktoddcollection.co.uk ALAN PAINE TWEED TRAVEL BAG Combines pure wool tweed with leather handles and trims. £249.95 alanpaine.co.uk BLAZE WEAR HEATED BOOT SOCKS Ensure his cold…

HICKS & BROWN SUFFOLK FEDORA Choose from a range of classic colours and beautiful feather options. From £89 hicksandbrown.com JUMP 4 JOY MR & MRS FOX SHOWJUMP This set includes three poles, a picket fence filler and foxy wings. £714 showjumps.com AMERIGO LEATHER CARE KIT A set of four leather care products and a soft sheepskin glove. £60 amerigo-saddles.com KÖNIGS PALERMO BOOTS These boots will have the lucky rider sitting pretty in the dressage arena. Can be made to measure. From £692 zebraproducts.co.uk BELLA ART EMBRACE CUSHION Created from Lucy Dawson’s original artwork. Feather filled. £45 bellaart.co.uk ANNA THOMPSON ART BESPOKE ROCKING HORSE Hand-painted to replicate a horse of your own. £1,850 annathompsonart.co.uk BATES STIRRUP LEATHERS WITH LUXE LEATHER Choose from a variety of colour combinations for a really fun…

THE HORSE TRUST Winter Shetlands £5 for a pack of 12 horsetrust.org.uk REDWINGS Children and Ponies £4.50 for a pack of 10 redwings.org.uk/shop SPANA Over the Garden Wall £4.50 for a pack of 10 spana.org/shop BROOKE Inquisitive Donkeys £4.25 for pack of 10 thebrookeshop.org HEROS Horsing Around £10 for a pack of 10 heroscharity.org THE MARK DAVIES INJURED RIDERS FUND Looking for Christmas Treats £6.50 for a pack of 10 mdirf.co.uk/shop THE DONKEY SANCTUARY Donkey Family £4.95 for a pack of 10 thedonkeysanctuary. org.uk/shop HUNT STAFF BENEFIT SOCIETY Three Cheers for Christmas £6.50 for a pack of 10 hsbs.org.uk HANNAH’S WILLBERRY WONDER PONY Who Ate all the Pies £3.50 for a pack of five willberrywonderpony.org RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION Donkey and Mistletoe £4.90 for a pack of 10 rdashop.org.uk…

THERE are three subjects that we may try to avoid but always seem to make it into everyday conversation — politics (national or hunt), the weather and health. Politics is clearly a hot topic; with a general election on the horizon, there is much to think about. There is no doubt in my mind as to which way I am voting. It is very clear to me that there is only one party that supports our rural way of life. For that reason there is much we can all do to help it in whatever way that we can, to shore up the future of our wonderful countryside and all that goes on within it. FREEZING DOWNPOURS A POLITICAL storm may be brewing, but the weather, too, has been rather…

‘He’s semi-retired now, but if hounds go, he’ll still be up there’ WHEN Grafton huntsman Mick Wills saw Billy pop a tall electric fence on the way to an autumn hunting meet, he “called me straight away”, says Colin Richmond-Watson. Irish-born Billy belonged to Brian Smith and Colin went straight to his yard near Malvern to try him. “He was in a cow barn and looking pretty rough. I tested him by doing a couple of jumps backwards in the manège. He did them so I thought ‘bugger it’ and jumped out. He did it beautifully, so I bought him.” Colin, now chairman of the Grafton, was then field master, and Billy took to his job swiftly. “We didn’t do too much at first as he was only five, but…

WELFARE should always be at the forefront of our minds, and I agree with Laura Tomlinson’s thoughts in her last column (21 November) that rider fitness and nutrition should be a priority, though for most of us the tension between ourselves and the tack room fridge remains a challenge. Top vet Sue Dyson has been doing some very interesting research into appropriate rider weight in relation to horse size. Rider fitness is definitely a hot topic, although it is fairly obvious that your weight should be appropriate for your horse’s size. Therefore I have taken the sensible precaution, of which I’m sure Sue would approve, by finding myself a large horse to leave room for error should I fall from the “fitness bus”. On the other hand, one of my…

LOTTE SEAL is reaping rewards with Fenix and Woodcroft San Sebastian, after difficult times. “I lost my mare Safira to colic last August,” she said. “I didn’t want another horse but had a look at Woodcroft San Sebastian and thought, ‘There’s something about you.’ He’s 17.2hh at least and has been quirky with a tendency to take off like Concorde. He was an unknown entity, but is starting to live up to what I saw in him.” The 10-year-old scored wins at elementary and novice, at Moreton Morrell, Warks, and Solihull EC, West Midlands. His stablemate, Margo Muhlenkamp’s seven-year-old Trakehner gelding Fenix, described by Lotte as “so lovely and kind, almost textbook”, also achieved wins at the same levels. Both horses travelled with Lotte this summer during the two months…

AT the inaugural GCL season awards, small-time breeders Willy and Betsie Wijnen (pictured right among the prize-winners) were recognised for producing the best horse of the series, Explosion W. The 10-year-old gelding is an embryo transfer by Chacco-Blue out of the Baloubet Du Rouet mare Untouchable, who jumped at international level with Dutchman Leon Thijssen. “It is wonderful what Explosion is doing,” said Willy. “I knew we had a good horse but Ben made the team complete. “At the age of four or five I knew we had a very rough diamond on our hands — his jump was just extraordinary, about 1.80m and with so much energy.” The Dutchman, who also runs a business making hydraulic cylinders for the offshore oil industry, began with his foundation mare Barina and…